In this TV20 special, Monyka Price, Chief of Education for the City of Cleveland sat down with Lynn Foran, Coordinator for Reach Out and Read of Greater Cleveland, and Robert Paponetti, President and CEO of The Literacy Cooperative to discuss two of the child literacy programs currently available in the City of Cleveland.
Reach Out and Read is a unique collaboration between child healthcare providers and their patients. From the ages of 6 months to 5 years old, children who visit pediatric care providers who are partnered with Reach Out and Read will be given a book to keep.
Partners with Reach Out and Read are trained on the importance of early childhood development, and can provide reading material that is appropriate to the child’s age.
If you’re interested in learning more about Reach Out and Read of Greater Cleveland, along with their volunteer opportunities, visit their website at
http://reachoutandreadgc.org or email at info@reachoutandreadgc.org
While Literacy Cooperative has a number of programs they are involved in, including a partnership with the previously mentioned Reach Out and Read, the focus of today’s special was on Imagination Library.
Imagination Library’s premise is simple: families with a child between the age of 6 months to 5 years old can receive a free book for their child on a monthly basis. As the child ages, so do the books which are sent to them.
Currently, the program is open to residents of the following areas of Greater Cleveland:
- Bedford
- Cleveland (zip codes: 44103, 44104, 44105, 44106, 44108, 44112, 44115, 44119, 44120, 44127, 44128)
- Cleveland: Residents of Central Promise Neighborhood (zip codes: 44103, 44104, 44115)
- Cleveland Heights
- East Cleveland
- Euclid
- Garfield Heights
- Maple Heights
- Shaker Heights
- University Heights
- Warrensville Heights
You can also check your availability at Imagination Library’s website, https://imaginationlibrary.com/
If you wish to learn more about the Literacy Cooperative, visit their website at http://www.literacycooperative.org/
